As far as iOS fighting games go, we can’t get enough of Shadow Fight 3. While it doesn’t have as many game modes as Shadow Fight 2, Nekki’s newest installment in the popular fighting series has simplified things, removing the mostly-unpopular Survival mode, reinventing Challenges as Side Quests, and maintaining the campaign mode by telling a tight and engaging story. The Duel system also lets you fight against real, human-controlled players in order to win more rewards and increase your standing and potential reward quality. Do you think you can make it through all the locations, all the bosses, and all the challenges the game may throw your way?

As this is quite a deep game, we thought we’d spread things out over multiple guides, hence the reason why we brought you this Shadow Fight 3 strategy guide for intermediate to advanced players. Again, we shall be revisiting some topics we talked about in the first guide, but mostly focusing on some more advanced tips, especially in the area of Shadow Energy usage. We’ve also got some tips that may help you beat the next couple of bosses in the game (after the first two, of course), so read on if you’re looking to win more often in this title!

1. It’s Okay To Lose Several Duels In A Row

As you advance through the ranks and improve your Duel Rating, you will naturally find yourself up against some tougher opponents. Usually, the matchmaking system will assign you opponents with a higher fighter rating than you, but with a more similar Duel Rating, and you may find yourself at one point nursing a pretty bad losing streak, watching as your Duel Rating drops by about 60 to 80 points, or even a hundred. As this is a situation that could be quite frustrating, being in an annoyed frame of mind certainly isn’t going to help you, and you might just find it better if you take a breather and return to the game after 30 minutes or so, feeling mentally refreshed.

However, the game does try to make it right by players who are going through a rough patch. After you’ve lost about three or four straight, Shadow Fighter 3’s matchmaking system will pair you up against someone considerably weaker, allowing you to get back your momentum, as well as most of the Duel Rating points you lost. The last phrase bears repeating, because in most cases, you won’t get as many points for a win as you would lose points for a defeat.

2. Don’t Get Too Far Ahead Of Yourself In Duel

In relation to what we told you in the first tip, it’s not a good idea to get your Duel Rating so high that your fighter rating cannot catch up. It’s very tempting to keep on dueling if you keep on winning, but doing so could make your Duel Rating so high in relation to your fighter rating, which is a surefire recipe for long-term losing streaks. We suggest stopping once all your four chest slots are full, and if worse comes to worst and you find yourself facing a losing streak, there’s always the first tip to provide you some solace.

3. Do’s Of Playing In Shadow Mode

As we explained in the first guide, Shadow Fighter 3 now allows you to see how your character looks like in his or her armor, while you do the same as you look at your opponent’s character. But the game wouldn’t be called Shadow Fighter 3 unless there was some sort of shadow-based mechanic, right? That’s where Shadow Energy comes in, as you can hit the blue button on the lower right side of the screen once your Shadow Energy has been loaded up That will activate your Shadow mode, which allows you to launch super-powerful attacks against the enemy and move around quicker, all while in shadow form. Beyond what we told you in the first guide, how can you make the most out of being a shadow?

Talking about the “dos” of being in shadow form, you should definitely know what each of your special skills do. Each of the arrow keys that are lit in blue (up, down, left, right) correspond to a skill that is activated once you hit the arrow key and the Shadow button simultaneously. Since you wouldn’t want to appear like a confused mess launching those skills willy-nilly, you should know that they do, and how much damage they can deal out. You don’t want to hit a ranged Shadow attack while up close, or conversely make the earth shake from under your enemy’s feet while you’re a good distance away from them.

The next “do” is to be more aggressive in your attack. That doesn’t mean you should go on an all-out offensive spree while in Shadow mode, though we shall get to that later in the “don’ts” section. Definitely, you want to be more proactive, because if you time your moves correctly, you could take out your opponent in a span of less than ten seconds.

Lastly, when it comes to timing, you should ideally activate your Shadow form for the first time early on in the second round, regardless if you won or lost the first. Let your opponent turn into a Shadow before you do — if you know how to evade and defend, it shouldn’t be too hard making your opponent waste their Shadow opportunity.

4. Dont’s Of Playing In Shadow Mode

Of course, we can’t discuss the “dos” without the “don’ts,” and we’ve got a couple no-nos every Shadow Fight 3 player should remember when hitting that Shadow button.

First of all, you should not let your defensive guard down at any point as a Shadow. Enemies would still be able to attack you, and do essentially the same amount of damage as they would, had you been in regular form. Shadow mode should not be misconstrued as a pure “fever mode” with temporary invincibility, because as you may have already found out, the game’s AI can decimate you even if you’re in Shadow form if you miss all your special skill attacks and/or get painted into a corner.

Next, don’t use your Shadow Energy toward the end of a round, unless you’re deadlocked at 1-all (2-all for boss fights) and needing to pull off a desperate win in the deciding round’s final seconds. It’s best if you save it for the starts of subsequent rounds after the first, but if you use it toward the end of a round, especially the first, you’ll likely get burned by your opponent, due to the very small margin of error you will most likely have.

Lastly, don’t randomly use your Shadow skills against an enemy, This can be avoided by reading up on them before battle, but we admit it can sometimes be tough not to get lost in the passion of things. Be careful when executing those skills, because it’s easy to waste them because your opponent has somehow mastered your game plan, or if there’s too little time to realistically catch up in thee early rounds!

5. Should You Save For Those Expensive Card Packs?

Normally, your best option when buying card packs, or booster packs, from the in-game store, would be to go for the cheapest option. That’s the one that will set you back by 1,000 coins or 10 gems, and in that pack you’ll get one guaranteed rare. The other options, such as the Epic and Legendary packs, can only be bought with gems, and you’re probably aware that gems tend to trickle in this game, or in other words, come in very slowly. With that in mind, we recommend saving at least once (though not necessarily right away) for the Epic pack (400 gems in stage 1) — it’s going to take a while, but aside rom the usual sources of free gems, there’s a Tapjoy offer wall available in Shadow Fight 3, as well as gems from other game modes, such as Duels, that could slowly, but surely add to your total.

6. What Are The Best Weapons To Use?

This one’s a case that largely boils down to “your mileage may vary.” Each of the weapon types in this game can be used in a variety of situations, depending on what those situations are. But if we are to speak in general and name a few favorites, the staff is good for long-ranged attacks, and smaller, lighter weapons like the labryses (smaller axes) allow you to hit hard without sacrificing too much quickness. The spear-type weapons, on the other hand, are a bit harder to learn. They can take out a great deal of HP if you know how to use them against enemies, but otherwise, they’re big and heavy and could make your character look too fat and slow for their own good!

7. Boss Battle Tips – How To Beat Sarge

Sarge is the first stage’s final boss, and at first glance, he’s the type who packs a lot of power, with the two hammers he wields in each hand. At first, he will tell you that he wants a fair fight, asking you to disable your Shadow powers while he does the same on his end. But once you reach the second round, Sarge will be in Shadow mode all throughout, with your Shadow powers still disabled, and no option to switch them back on. As you can see, Sarge is going to fight unfair just to pick up a win against you, and he’s going to take advantage of your lack of Shadow power in hopes of shutting you up as quickly as possible. For his special, non-Shadow skill, he can slow down to the point where you can’t keep him at bay with your attacks.

The key thing for this boss battle is the fact that Shadow mode does not make one invincible, nor does it improve an opponent’s (or your) defense. That means you can launch attacks on Sarge while he’s in Shadow mode, staying as far away as possible and ensuring you can still hit him. That means using a spear, a staff, or a long sword, preferably a staff, as that allows you to remain quick on your feet to avoid Sarge’s attacks, while still being able to deal out a lot of damage. Getting too close to Sarge will leave you open to those hammer attacks, so once again, keep your distance.

8. Boss Battle Tips – How To Beat Itu

The first boss of the second stage, Itu seems like a meek and quiet type, but he can definitely be a nuisance out there. While he uses a staff as his main weapon, he actually has a throwing knife handy, which he often uses after knocking you down with his staff. And when he detects that the going is getting tough, he wisely heads near a corner, and starts praying, with a forcefield protecting him from damage. Not only is he invincible while praying; Itu also regains most of his health, if not all, allowing him to extend the fight and force you to work harder. His Shadow attacks, while mostly stronger versions of his regular attacks, are nonetheless deadly, with the potential of taking out more than 50 percent of your HP with one single hit.

The first thing to remember when facing Itu is that he does have a vulnerable spot while praying. That’s exactly the reason why he prefers to pray when as close to a corner as possible; if you hit him in the back, that’s going to disrupt his prayer, and allow him to take damage once again. Evasive maneuvers, quite simply, are the best way to avoid his throwing sword — he loves throwing the sword while you’re trying to get back up on your feet, but you can get yourself out of a tight spot with a dodge-roll. Other than that, it’s the same old advice we give you for the boss battles — mix up your attacks and don’t go overboard on the offense.